Neo-Nazi Party Welcomed Into European Anti-Discrimination Body

A representative of the Greek neo-Nazi party has been accepted as a member of a leading European body aimed at combating discrimination.

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Rachel Hirshfeld , 07/10/12 12:24

'Golden Dawn' neo-Nazi leader Mihaloliakos

Reuters

A representative of the Greek neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party has been accepted as a new member of a leading European body aimed at combating discrimination.

Golden Dawn party member Eleni Zaroulia joined the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on October 1, in what the Anti-Defamation League has described as “an affront to concepts of equality and non-discrimination."

The body, which is based in Strasbourg, is comprised of members from 47 European nations and was established to promote democracy, and to protect human rights and the rule of law in Europe.

The Golden Dawn party has become notorious for its blatant anti-Semitic and xenophobic rhetoric and has been responsible for perpetrating attacks against Jews and foreigners.

Its doctrine echoes Nazi principles by proposing that, "only men and women of Greek descent and consciousness should have full political rights." Copies of “Mein Kampf,” as well as other works on Greek racial superiority, are openly displayed at party headquarters.

Party leader Nikos Michaloliakos has denied that ovens and gas chambers were used in Nazi concentration camps to exterminate Jews during the Holocaust.

The party campaigned under the slogan “So we can rid the land of filth” and recently held a blood drive to collect blood "only for Hellenes," i.e. ethnic Greeks.

"The despicable ideology of Golden Dawn stands in the most stark contrast imaginable to the goals of the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination," said Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director. "Given the party's rhetoric, it is an affront to concepts of equality and non-discrimination that one of its representatives now serves as a member on this Committee."

In a letter to Committee Chairperson Tina Acketoft, the ADL urged the Committee to ensure that Golden Dawn's representative is immediately, clearly and publicly rebuked for any statements that promote Golden Dawn's neo-Nazi ideology, and that Zaroulia be prevented from assuming any leadership responsibilities.

"If a procedure is available to remove her from the Committee, such action would demonstrate that commitment to the Committee's mandate starts at home," Foxman wrote. "We urge you to take this step before any further harm is caused by the presence of a Golden Dawn representative on your Committee."

The party recently set up an office in New York City, in an effort to reach out to Greek citizens living abroad and widen its sphere of influence.

The new branch’s website features the party’s logo, which very closely resembles a swastika, across the New York skyline and reads:

"The Golden Dawn is the only political party in Greece that unapologetically stands for the sovereignty, security, and dignity of the Greek people. The party intends to reverse decades of unlimited third world immigration which has brought crime, unemployment, disease and possibly terrorism to the once peaceful Greek cities.”

“Our goals are to promote and support the Golden Dawn’s nationalist ideals and vision for Greece among the Greek diaspora. We must resist and overcome the genocidal multi-culturalist, and anti-Hellenic agenda of the New World Order," the website states.